What Is My Markham Home Worth? The CMA That Determines Your Price

Every Markham seller starts in the same place: they want to know what their home is worth. It is the question behind every other selling decision — pricing, timing, and net proceeds all flow from it. Michael John Lau, a top-producing Markham REALTOR® and CPA/CMA, explains how a professional Comparative Market Analysis actually determines your home's value.

Why Online Estimates Fall Short

Automated valuation tools — the instant estimates you find online — are a starting point, not an answer. They rely on broad algorithms and public data that cannot see inside your home. They do not know that your kitchen was renovated last year, that your lot backs onto a ravine, or that the identical model three doors down sold for $80,000 more because of its finished basement. In a market as varied as Markham, where value swings street by street and catchment by catchment, an online estimate can be off by six figures.

What a Comparative Market Analysis Actually Examines

A professional CMA is a rigorous evaluation built from several layers of real market evidence.

CMA Versus Appraisal — An Important Distinction

Sellers often confuse the two. A CMA is a REALTOR's pricing analysis, used to build your listing strategy and position your home to achieve its best outcome. An appraisal is a lender-ordered valuation, used to confirm the property is worth the money being borrowed against it. Both examine comparable sales, but they serve different masters and different purposes. For selling, the CMA is your tool.

Why the CMA Is the First Step in a Successful Sale

Everything in your sale depends on getting this number right. Price too high and your home sits, accumulates days on market, and ultimately sells for less. Price too low and you leave money on the table. An accurate CMA is what lets you price correctly from day one — and correct pricing is the single most important factor in a strong sale.

Michael John Lau brings financial analysis expertise and deep local market knowledge to every valuation, giving Markham sellers an accurate, objective picture of what their home is truly worth — and the pricing strategy that will best achieve their goals. A professional CMA is the first and most important step in a successful sale; it is where the outcome of your sale begins to be determined.

Frequently Asked Questions